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Matt Fraction's Thor: Ages of Thunder

In ancient times people used to fear the sound of thunder believing that it indicated that the gods were mad at them. This summer, the Skrull invaders targeting Earth will have good reason to fear themselves, because it will mean that an angry god is coming after them. CBR News spoke with Marvel Comics editor Warren Simons about the three issue "Secret Invasion: Thor" mini-series which kicks off in August.

At this point in time, Simons could only divulge one half of the creative team tasked with chronicling Thor's separate Secret Invasion adventures. "Matt Fraction, who just wrote the extremely violent and incredibly fun 'Thor: Ages of Thunder' one-shot for me will be writing 'Secret Invasion: Thor,'" Simons told CBR News. "I am extremely excited about the artist we have lined up - I'm really happy to be working with this team - but we won't have an announcement about the artist until early May."

In March's "Thor" #7, it looked like Thor wouldn't be in any shape to take on the Skrull Invaders. He had temporarily exhausted much of the power he inherited from his deceased father, Odin, to revive all the Asgardians who had been hidden on Earth and were "sleeping" in mortal forms. The expenditure of so much power forced Thor to rest in a coma-like state, formerly known as the Odin Sleep. However, Simons has revealed that the Thunder God should be back in action soon, as "Secret Invasion: Thor" takes place after April's "Thor" #8 which, in turn, resolves the two part Odin/Thor sleep storyline.

Does Secret Invasion #4 herald Thor's entry into the Skrull Invasion?

Even if Thor doesn't have his full power back by the time "Secret Invasion: Thor" begins, there's still a good chance he'll at least have the element of surprise on his side in his battles with the Skrulls. "The Skrull invasion has been meticulously planned, but it's certainly possible that the sudden reappearance of Thor and Asgard in the Marvel U created a variable the Skrulls didn't see coming," Simons said.

In "Secret Invasion: Thor," the Thunder God will have three immediate goals. "He's going to make some introductions: Hammer meet Skrull face. Skrull face, Hammer," Simons remarked. "He also is looking to survive the incredible storm that is on the way, and protect the innocent."

The recently revealed solicits for "Secret Invasion" #4 hints someone with a hammer wants answers about the Skrull invasion. Simons couldn't reveal if this someone was indeed Thor or another hammer wielding Marvel hero. "Thor's one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel U., so it stands to reason that if there was a global threat, he'd be playing a key role in trying to resolve the crisis," Simons explained. "That said, you'll have to stay tuned and see if that's just in the 'Secret Invasion: Thor' series, or the mainline series as well."

One thing is for certain though, "Secret Invasion: Thor" is a series designed with the intent to put a smile on the faces of Thunder God fans. "This is going to be three issues of fun, and a very popular character might be returning to the fold here," Simons said. "So Thor fans will definitely want to pick this one up."

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Keywords:  marvel comics, matt fraction, thor, secret invasion, nycc2008